Why Rep. Sandifer opposes H.4421

Proponents of a bill in the South Carolina legislature that would lift caps on net-metering for residential solar panel production say the measure would allow the solar market to continue to grow. But one of Oconee’s state lawmakers says there are other aspects of the bill to which he is opposed. The bill is expected to reach the floor of the House of Representatives next week. Yesterday Representative Bill Sandifer of Seneca stopped short of saying he will vote against the bill but expressed concern that, if passed, would place certain electric utility providers in South Carolina under the umbrella of the South Carolina Public Service Commission in Columbia. According to Sandifer, it would mean that those entities would have to give up their rate-setting authority from their boards to the PSC. The Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative was an example. But, according to spokesman Terry Ballenger, would no longer be impacted by the bill. “Originally, there was some language in the bill that we were not happy with,” said Blue Ridge’s Terry Ballenger. “We were able to talk to some folks on the committee and they were agreeable to amend the bill to take that language out.” Ballenger said the electric co-ops are grateful especially to Sandifer for his opposition. The bill, authored by Rep. James Smith of Richland County, was reported out of the House Judiciary Committee and headed to the House floor March 20.